Giant lock Adam Wallace-Harrison, also not touring because of a knee injury, agreed.

Wallace-Harrison admitted that the Reds attack had been "a little frayed" in the opening games.

"But we have had wins," he said. "That's significant.

"We are not far from clicking - it's only a good finishing pass away."

Wallace-Harrison said that last year it took a little while for the Reds to blow the cobwebs out, too.

"But yeah, the South Africans - particularly the Bulls - will put us to the test," he said.

Wallace-Harrison pointed out that the South African tour, which the red-hot Reds used as a springboard into the finals series last year, was much earlier in the draw this year.

Cooper, Wallace-Harrison, and promising University prop Kevin Davis - the latter brought into the Reds playing group, were on the Sunshine Coast yesterday to launch the Reds for Africa charity campaign at Australia Zoo.

Cooper steadfastly refused to tip when he was likely to take the field again.

"I'm keeping an open mind, but it is more than just getting the body right," he said.

"I have to be confident I am right before I can go further.

"Look, it may even be later than round six (on March 30-31) before I can come back ... I just don't know at this stage."

Cooper, who had to wear a leg brace after his anterior cruciate ligament ruptured in the World Cup bronze medal game against Wales in Auckland, reportedly started sprint training last month.

He said if, when he returned, he lost goal-kicking duties to Harris, it would not bother him.